Posting Point
Using vinyl flooring in your home can be a great way to achieve the luxury look you desire at an affordable price. Still, knowing how to lay vinyl flooring properly is essential, or you risk damaging your beautiful new floor. To help you do this job well, we’ve gathered steps that will walk you through the process of laying vinyl flooring step by step. Follow these tips, and your floors will look amazing!
Choose The Right Space
Different types of floors need different preparation methods. There are also certain steps you will have to take before installing the floor, and once installed, you must maintain your new surface for it to be safe and usable for a long time. For all types of floors, a subfloor that is strong enough to support the weight of the new material will be required. Wood or plywood boards provide an adequate surface with many benefits.
Laying herringbone flooring requires very little in-depth knowledge, but even so, some important factors come into play. You may want to think about wear resistance, water tightness, warmth underfoot, cost and availability of materials before deciding what type of product you would like to buy.
Get The Best Tools
Now that you’re familiar with how to use your materials, here are a few tips on how to make the process go smoothly. Try setting up your workstation close to where the vinyl will be installed. This will reduce the time it takes for you or an assistant (if you have one) to walk over and pick up any necessary tools.
Additionally, ensure all of your tools are organized neatly in case you have a project close together that requires a lot of tools – this way, all your tools will be there and ready for immediate use.
Gather Materials And Equipment
- Pencil or chalk line
- Level
- Utility knife
- Stanley knife
- Tappet pins
- Vinyl sheet
- Vinyl putty
- Measuring tape
- Masking tape
- Chalk 12 in long and 12 in wide lines perpendicular to one another, and then connect the lines with a herringbone pattern using a pencil or chalk line.
Use the utility knife to cut through the adhesive on the underside of the first row of the vinyl sheet, score along the scored edge, and then use your fingers or a straightedge to remove sections of the adhesive from one side at a time.
Cut two lengths of tap-set pins that are about 3/4 in length for each length of vinyl sheet you will be installing, and set them aside for later use. Apply masking tape to one end of each row before installing so you can find it easily when cutting out sections for doorways, corners, etc. after installation is complete.
Lay The Substrate
When choosing the type of surface to use for laying herringbone flooring, keep in mind that you’ll need one that is strong, durable, and can be adhered to without issues. These surfaces include tile, linoleum, and a range of other such materials.
Lay The Flooring
- Measure out the length and width of your space that you want to cover with herringbone flooring. If you’re working with a specific room, measure the length and width of your walls.
- Purchase enough rolls of herringbone flooring from your local home improvement store or online retailer for it to reach across the measured space for your first layer or two of herringbone patterned flooring.
- When unrolling a roll, be sure not to stretch it too tightly, or you won’t be able to lock in the pieces for the patterned herringbone design properly.
- Make sure you smooth out all edges so your finished product doesn’t appear unfinished or have noticeable gaps in areas where one piece of herringbone patterned flooring should meet another. This way, it won’t distract from your otherwise beautiful room with mismatched herringbone patterned flooring and won’t be tripping hazards for unsuspecting guests or family members.
Cut Around Obstacles
- Remove furniture and obstructions from the room and lay a tape measure lengthwise in the area you plan to install the vinyl. The end of the measuring tape should reach, but not touch, one of the walls or any doorways, with approximately 3-5 feet extra on each side (depending on how much workspace you need). Make a mental note of where your starting point is for now; we will call this Point A.
- Starting at Point A, measure and mark your first row from left to right, again making sure not to go too close to any walls or obstructions.
Clean Up And Examine Your Work
If you notice a spot with a bubble, you can cut the bubble off with a utility knife. If there are bubbles that can’t be fixed, it may have been caused by excess moisture seeping underneath the vinyl. Cut out the dry area of the wet one and cover it with adhesive before laying down another layer. For large bubbles, such as those in high-traffic areas, use an ice pick to prick holes all over the bubble’s surface and press them together, then peel up a corner with your fingers. Add adhesive as needed, laying each strip on top of another until it is smooth again.
What should I put down before laying the vinyl flooring?
The first step is to remove any obstructions from the area. Any carpet, tile, laminate, or hardwood should be removed. Next, you need to cover the subfloor with either a layer of plywood or a sheet of underlayment board approximately 1/4 inch thick. It’s also recommended that you put a moisture barrier over this material if there is any chance of getting moisture on it later. Additional material won’t be necessary if your subfloor isn’t too uneven. However, if you have some bumps and dips, then it’s recommended that you fill them with wood filler before laying your vinyl flooring down. After this, it’s just time for the fun part–setting your floor!
Can I lay vinyl flooring myself?
Vinyl is a very affordable option and can make your room look incredible. Laying it yourself, however, might be more difficult than you imagine. For best results, hire a professional with experience in laying new floors. They’ll know the best way for a beginner to cut vinyl strips into clean pieces and have the right tools like shears or scoring knives to do it without any problems.
Do you need underlay for vinyl flooring?
Vinyl underlay is a necessity for installing a new vinyl floor. Vinyl underlay provides insulation and soundproofing from the cold or hard concrete surfaces underneath. It also reduces the chances of your new floor buckling and sagging. Underlay provides comfort, warmth, and soundproofing from the underlying surface you are laying over. This goes double if you use tile, stone, or any other hard surface like a kitchen countertop as your subfloor for your new vinyl installation.
Final Thoughts
Vinyl flooring is one of your home’s most affordable and durable products. It comes in a wide variety of colors, patterns, and textures. Vinyl has many benefits, including being easy to clean and will never rust or rot from moisture like wood floors. Installing vinyl is not very complicated but can be more difficult than other materials because it’s so flexible. You may want to hire a professional installer when installing new floors or if you have trouble measuring properly or laying it down smoothly by yourself. To avoid bubbles that sometimes appear on the surface, keep any objects at least six inches away from the area where you are laying out the vinyl. Don’t let any object with seams fall onto the fabric for 24 hours after installation.
